Design of the 6.5-m MMT Adaptive Optics System and results from its prototype system FASTTRAC II

Michael Lloyd-Hart, J. R. Angel, D. G. Sandler, Todd D. Groesbeck, Ty Martinez, Bruce P. Jacobsen

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

The first images of astronomical objects have been obtained with a telescope exploiting wavefront compensation with adaptive optics where the reference beacon was generated by laser excitation of mesospheric sodium. This was done using the FASTTRAC II low-order adaptive optics system at the multiple mirror telescope (MMT). FASTTRAC II is a prototype for a full-scale adaptive optics system under construction for the 6.5 m telescope that will replace the MMT in late 1997. The 6.5 m system is designed to provide correction to the diffraction limit of resolution in the near infrared (1 - 5 micrometer) with high Strehl ratio and excellent sky coverage. This paper describes the new system and its expected performance in view of the achieved performance of FASTTRAC II.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
PublisherSociety of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers
Pages880-889
Number of pages10
ISBN (Print)0819422681
StatePublished - 1997
EventOptical Telescopes of Today and Tomorrow - Landskrona/Hven, Swed
Duration: May 29 1996May 29 1996

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume2871
ISSN (Print)0277-786X

Other

OtherOptical Telescopes of Today and Tomorrow
CityLandskrona/Hven, Swed
Period5/29/965/29/96

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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